So I spent about three hours yesterday making four citrus marmalade (and this was after prepping all the ingredients the day before and letting it meld in the fridge overnight!) I let the temp get up to 220 as the recipe said to reach the gelling point, but as of today it is still really liquidy. I've heard people say it can take a really long time for marmalade to set up - like a week or even sometimes a month! I'd really like to give people actual marmalade for holiday gifts and not sauce for ice cream or cake! Anyone have experience with this?

I've made orange and Meyer lemon marmalade for holiday gifts last year and what they say about it taking a while to set is true. I cooked it according to the recipe, and brought it up to 220 degrees just like you did, but I was worried that the texture wasn't right at all (it was way too soup-y looking even after cooking it for several minutes longer.) I ladled it into jars, processed them, and after a few days, the marmalade set just fine.

But if yours doesn't set, you can just call it a fruit sauce and give it out to your friends and family anyway

morbid curiosity. : / i made some killer marmalade last year with some fancy oranges my grandmother sent me, and i just ordered some more specifically for more marmalade making BUT i didn't write down what i did last time so i'm really nervous its not going to turn out as well.